The Perfect Smoked Salmon Sandwich

Sometimes (well, actually, a lot of times) a satisfying meal can be made without much effort simply by having the right combination of ingredients on hand. For me, the classic smoked salmon and cream cheese is one of those meals.

If I’m eating in at a bagel joint, time and time again I’m bound to order the smoked salmon or lox option. It’s creamy. It’s chewy. It’s salty. It’s satisfying. It’s also a combination that’s easy to recreate at home, and by purchasing a few extra add-ons, like capers and arugula, you can essentially make yourself the “perfect” bagel sandwich.

There’s really not much to it. Just make sure you start with quality bagels. The better the bagel, the more sinful chewing you’ll get to do. “Everything” are my favorite because not only do you get to have the best of so many bagel worlds, but the sesame and onion are ideal compliments of salmon. For the cream cheese, I go with whipped because the airiness works well with the dense salmon. Chive cream cheese is also a nice choice. The arugula helps to cut the saltiness while adding flavor without any of the wateriness that lettuce might add. Dill also keeps things fresh, while the onions and capers keep on packing in the flavor. And there you have the perfect sandwich, requiring nothing more than a few ingredients and some novice positioning skills.

Toast bagel. Spread cream cheese 1/4-inch thick on each side of toasted bagel. Sprinkle each side with dried dill or finely chopped fresh dill.

Add capers to one half of bagel, about 1 tsp. per sandwich. Spread a layer of thinly sliced onion on other half. Top with arugula. Cover with a thin layer of smoked salmon. Press each half of bagel together. Cut in half. Serve.